1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an information processing apparatus, a software updating method in the information processing apparatus, an image processing apparatus, and a software updating method in the image processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an information processing apparatus such as a PC (personal computer) and an image processing apparatus such as an MFP (multifunctional peripheral) in which security of information is maintained, secret information in the apparatus must be secured. Currently, in order to maintain the security of the information in the apparatus, secret information stored in the apparatus is encrypted so as to prevent the information from being falsified or compromised.
For example, in Patent Document 1, in a PC based on a TCPA (trusted computing platform alliance) standard, information is encrypted by using a TPM (trusted platform module). By using the TPM, secret information in the information processing apparatus and the image processing apparatus can be encrypted. The TPM can be realized by, for example, a chip directly mounted on a mother board. The security of the secret information is generally maintained by management information such as a password by which a specific user is identified.
In addition, in Patent Document 2, in order to handle a bug or a security hole in a program, or to respond to an addition and/or a change of a function in an apparatus, a program is updated.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-282391    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-196745
However, when only a specific user such as a manger has a password, the other users cannot handle the secret information. That is, when a user desires to start up an information processing apparatus, since the user does not have a password, the user cannot operate the apparatus.
In addition, when the information processing apparatus is started up, in order to maintain the secret information, software (system) in the apparatus must be authenticated.
In order to solve the above problems, a hash value calculated by firmware in the apparatus is registered in a PCR (platform configuration register) in the TPM, and the hash value registered in the PCR is determined to be a condition for decrypting the secret information. With this, the secret information in the information processing apparatus and the image processing apparatus is prevented from being compromised or falsified due to a user violation.
However, when the firmware is updated, it is difficult to confirm the authentication of the hash value calculated by the firmware.
In addition, when the firmware is updated, it can be considered that the hash value registered in the PCR is recalculated. However, there is a risk of an interface for instructing the recalculation becoming a reason for weakness of the apparatus.